NHS healthy food guidelines - confusion

[beatrixpotterspencil]

And it isn't just the NHS, there are countless health bodies throughout the western world who still believe we ought to choose trans fatty oils in margarine over butter.
As far as I am aware, margarine has long since been considered a franken-food, yet the NHS is still advising diabetics and those with cardiovascular disease to swap butter for marg, meat for white bread and full fat yogurt for the reduced fat, sugar filled monstrosities.

I am 48, very slim and eat butter, virgin olive oil, meat (usually poultry or fish), full fat yogurt, avocado, cheese, cream, greek yogurt, olives, stuff that is going to kill me apparently since reading about saturated fats on the NHS last night.

I thought the saturated fat = bad cholesterol had been debunked, but according to most health bodies, recent research still posits it as a major contributor to cardiovascular disease and diabetes. It seemed odd to choose to choose a low fat, processed alternative to an already 'healthy' food? (yogurt). So my natural Greek stuff is inferior to a sugar stuffed muller light?

I'm one of those spectacular wankers who makes their own pesto
I must definitely be unreasonable!
So I am well and truly one foot in the grave according to the health service.
When looking for their suggested alternatives to sat fats, most of the recommendations were for white, sugary breads and cereals. It is apparently better for me to chuck down a ton of rice crispies than some microwaved scrambled egg with a splash of milk.

Is this confusing anyone else? My family tended to eat similarly to me and were always healthy/slim. Perhaps it is just genetic luck and we have been juggling with an early death

I don't read a lot about nutrition, but do love cooking and following tasty recipes, so was surprised to read this. Over the years, and especially on MN I have picked up some great ideas and wasn't aware that people were still pushing hydrogenated oils as healthy.
And if they are not, why the heck are so many health bodies promoting it?
Even my own GP said my diet was excellent. I am confused!

Not all low fat yogurt is full of sugar. I eat fromage frais. This has very low fat and very low sugar.

@beatrixpotterspencil

Nina Teicholz

@beatrixpotterspencil

This from NHS regarding reducing fats - it does suggest some obviously healthy stuff but also swapping most natural fat stuff to 'reduced fat' alternatives (so marg, spreads, low fat yog). I've seen the ingredients in some of that stuff and they are ....interesting to say the least.

Obviously a section on how to reduce fat in your diet would tell you to choose lower fat choices.

That's not general 'how to eat better' it says 'how to reduce FAT'.

Also vegetable oil usually is rapeseed oil. Just check the back.

Have any of you heard of the Pioppi diet?
www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/what-pioppi-diet

NHS, British Heart foundation, WHO, American heart foundation, Centre for disease control, British nutrition foundation, all agree natural fats especially saturated (like butter) are worse than margarine.

Ah. You mention WHO.
I steer clear of them.

Common sense, for those that have it, make it obvious that butter is going to be best. In moderation of course.

Nothing wrong with skimmed milk, fat free natural yogurt or reduced fat hard cheese if you are trying to reduce your fat intake, as many have a medical reason to do.

I agree someone might wish to reduce fat, but it is important not to replace it with more chemicals and sugar. They also like to make it difficult to work out what some of the ingredients are on packaging. It's definitely worth reading up on if wanting to reduce fat and stay healthy.

Thanks for all of the info and links, I do like a good documentary!
Will check them all out.

Someone mentioned a recent doc on channel 4? Can anyone tell me what it's called or where I could watch it?

"My family tended to eat similarly to me and were always healthy/slim."

Well then the advice doesnt apply to you. Why dont you ask the NHS, he ones who issued the advice. Perhaps you can educate them..

@vivainsomnia

Not all low fat yogurt is full of sugar. I eat fromage frais. This has very low fat and very low sugar.

I'm referring to the stuff like marg, containing god knows how many odd things. I used to love fromage frais, never been able to find it for years!

Of course many low fat foods are delicious and healthy, but sadly I think a lot of the 'advice' out there fails to mention the sheer proliferation of frankenfoods that make up 95% of supermarket shelves. Even 'healthy' low fat (and especially gluten free) crackers and organic packaged foods are often stuffed with hydrogenated oils and whatnot.

@RealBecca

"My family tended to eat similarly to me and were always healthy/slim."

Well then the advice doesnt apply to you. Why dont you ask the NHS, he ones who issued the advice. Perhaps you can educate them..

Touched a nerve?

I drink skimmed milk as I prefer it and eat flora pro active as it’s supposed to be good for me. Plus cathedral city lighter. I eat low sugar jellies as a snack.

I do like plain normal fat yogurt etc but it’s tricky because people tell you to do lower sugar and fat things.

I can’t stand the Muller Light yogurts they’re tasteless. But some of the lighter options do taste better.

vimeo.com/557580047 You should give this a watch @beatrixpotterspencil it was on the bbc.

It’s “what are we feeding or kids”

I think some of what is good for you depends on your individual requirements. As has been said upthread specific health conditions sometimes require low fat or low sugar.

And everybody develops individual tastes too.

Really the NHS is squewed a little bit because they focus on treating people when something has gone wrong. They can talk about prevention all they want but generally the time a patient would be asked about diet would be in connection with a health issue. A diet for someone with a specific health issue can look very different to a diet a healthy person should be eating.

I was told by a dietician that rapeseed oil is one of the good oils as it has a good ratio of omega3 to omega 6. It came second after olive oil on a chart she gave me rating oils good to bad.

Yes you're completely correct, OP.

It also says choose low fat yoghurts which are in fact full of sugar and calories instead.

I believe it's because the government is lobbied by processed food companies who would rather sell you margarine than butter etc.

As a size 8, lifelong whole milk drinker, I was pleased when this research came out s couple of years ago

Times article on study which showed that children who drink whole milk are likely to be skinnier due to feeling fuller and snacking less

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/5dc709f0-2cc3-11ea-a2d1-c31ad393952a?shareToken=1aee84c308f2cf2aabd22c7e09279b70

My GP suggested once that I should switch to a low fat spread instead of butter. I asked him to explain how something requiring industrial processes and a factory, and containing ingredients I can’t pronounce, let alone use myself, was more healthy than something I could make in my own kitchen with only one ingredient. He couldn’t.

He also told me I should reduce the amount of vegetables I ate, rather than eating more of them to fill me up, because “vegetables have calories too”!

“It also says choose low fat yoghurts which are in fact full of sugar and calories instead.“

Full fat yoghurts have the same sugar...

I agree someone might wish to reduce fat, but it is important not to replace it with more chemicals and sugar

NHS guides on healthy eating isn't designed to be optimal, nutritionally perfect high level guidance to make slim and healthy people even healthier.

The country is facing an obesity epidemic and that's what the NHS are firefighting.

When someone's heart is straining under the pressure of 5 stone of extra weight, the immediate aim is to stop them from suffering a premature death and if the cost of that is consuming a few extra e numbers in low fat xyz products, so be it.

For those it's aimed at, most of the guidance is entirely appropriate and if followed would be a vast improvement in what they eat now and probably result in significant weight loss and overall improvement to health.

Something came back from sons school with diet soft drinks as a healthy option

I'm very much of the opinion that processed foods and too much sugar are the stuff that's bad for us.

And fizzy drinks - Diet Coke is the devil's drink.

Reduced fat stuff is disgusting, margarine in particular is disgusting. Eat in moderation and you'll be fine. I imagine a fair few people think if something is low in fat, you should eat loads of it.

@SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius

My GP suggested once that I should switch to a low fat spread instead of butter. I asked him to explain how something requiring industrial processes and a factory, and containing ingredients I can’t pronounce, let alone use myself, was more healthy than something I could make in my own kitchen with only one ingredient. He couldn’t.

He also told me I should reduce the amount of vegetables I ate, rather than eating more of them to fill me up, because “vegetables have calories too”!

Are you sure he was a real doctor!?